Goku Explodes!
by AmbiguousFiction
Summary: It's been nearly two years since Majin Buu's defeat. Bulma decides to throw a picnic to reunite everybody. And while it may seem like a relaxing, fun-filled idea, it soon spirals into chaos as Bulma's troubles soon become Goku's. Meanwhile, Gohan faces problems of his own. Can they find a way to resolve their problems before things get out of hand? Find out today on Dragonball Z!
1. Chapter 1

_The following is a fan-based, fictional story. All names and characters used are the sole property of Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama._

* * *

Goku stood at the front entrance of his home taking in the fresh, morning air. His gaze was caught by the rising sun out in the horizon. He then began to stretch his arms, crossing them and twisting his body to pull on his triceps.

"Ah, it's gonna be a perfect day," he thought.

Suddenly, a voice shot out from inside.

"GOKU!" the voice called.

The front door swung open and a dainty figure stood over him. He nonchalantly turned around as he continued his daily routine.

"What is it, Chi-Chi?"

"C'mon, we have to get ready! We don't have time!"

"Uh, ready? For what?"

"The picnic, that's what!"

"Huh?"

"Honestly, how is it that _I'm_ the only one that remembers these things?" she cried.

He then came to a stop, swung his arms behind his head, and faced her direction.

"But I… I thought everyone wasn't going 'til noon."

"Bulma figured, since it's been awhile, that we spend as much time together as possible, seeing as you don't see them anymore," she smirked.

"Hmm… I guess I've been so caught up in training that I forgot to visit."

"Well, c'mon. I need to finish up my half of the food."

"Oh good, I'm starving!"

"Oh, I don't think so, Goku! This is for the picnic and the picnic only!"

"But what about breakfast?"

"I've been busy preparing everything. Why don't you just catch yourself a fish or something? And come back in, so you can take shower when you're done!"

Goku frowned as his stomach could only growl for attention.

* * *

Meanwhile, the halls of the Briefs' residence remained silent. With a yawn, Bulma stretched out her arms as wide as she could. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she took a glance at the empty space behind her. Once again, her saiyan of a husband left to train without her knowing. She sighed, shaking her head with a smile. She knew her husband all too well.

She soon brought herself to her feet, making her way into the bathroom. It was only a few minutes of rustling and fumbling around until…

"AAAAHH!" she cried.

Trunks whipped his head around as he dropped his toys and made his way toward his mother's room. With his saiyan speed, he zipped down the hall causing a large gust of wind to form. Upon reaching the source of the scream, he put a stop to his feet, skidding past his mother's bathroom door.

"Mom, what is it?!" he cried, slamming into the wall.

He quickly rubbed his head and jumped to his feet as he fled to his mother's bathroom.

"Mom, what's wrong?!"

Bulma sat on the ground, bug-eyed, as her jaw hung open. Towels surrounded her. Cans of hair products rolled across the bathroom floor.

Trunks observed closely as he stood motionless.

"Mom?"

"N-No way…Six pounds… I-I gained six pounds?"

With that, Trunks immediately fell flat on his back with his legs in the air.

* * *

Fire crackled and popped, flames grew in size, and straight above, a large Yellowtail roasted to a golden brown. Goku's eyes lit up as drool seeped from the corners of his mouth. He immediately grabbed his prize and inhaled its aroma within his hands.

"It's been so long since I've had fish. I almost forgot what it smelled like," he thought.

Finally, without hesitation, he widened his mouth as wide as possible and slowly leaned in to take his first bite. To no avail, he chomped down, catching nothing but air as he was suddenly dragged by his shirt collar. His catch seemed to only move farther away as it laid flat on the fallen tree he'd sat on.

"Uh, what the—"

"This is no time to be lollygagging! We need to get ready! Now!"

"Huh, Chi-Chi? Hey, wait! My fish!"

Along with her tone, Chi-Chi's face automatically softened. "Oh, that's right."

"Huh?"

She took a swift turn, taking him with her, and retrieved his catch, keeping it from out of his reach. She then made her way to their house.

"It's nice of you to pitch in this time, Goku," she smiled.

"Aw, when am I gonna get to eat today?" he muttered, grabbing hold of his stomach.

* * *

"So, Mrs. Briefs, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well, Doctor, in the past two weeks I've noticed that I gained an unusually large amount of weight."

"Oh? How much, exactly?"

"Well, last week when I weighed myself I'd gained about five pounds. And just this morning the scale read that I gained another six, so that means… I gained… ELEVEN POUNDS?!" she gasped, sitting dazed in her now rapid thoughts.

"Hmm, I see. That is unusual. You're usually a very active woman, too. Hmm," he thought, "what does your diet consist of?"

With a light blink, Buma regained focus of her doctor's presence.

"Uh, the same as I've always had it. I've been sticking to the same diet regimen you gave me since my last check-up."

"Hmm… strange. Well, it could just be your metabolism."

"What? My metabolism?"

"Don't worry, it happens to everyone. When we're young, our metabolism flourishes. But as we get older, it begins to slowly drop—especially in women. Women have about a five to ten percent lower energy expenditure than men, which is why many often have trouble losing the weight."

"Humph, that figures," she fumed, thinking of Vegeta.

"Yes," he chuckled, "but with a different diet regimen, I think we can fix this."

"Oh, thank goodness!"

"Yes, I'll have you start on it today, in fact. I'll also put you under a mild prescription that should help boost the process as well," he announced, scribbling down on his clipboard.

"I can't thank you enough, Dr. Seldeen."

"Always here to help, Mrs. Briefs. Here you go."

He quickly tore out the prescription and sent her on her way.

"Thanks again!" she waved.

In a speedy pace, Bulma made her way out of the building.

"Alright, I'll just get the prescription and then I need to get ready, _fast_," she thought, "I only have about an hour before everyone'll be there and I know that man won't be ready. Ugh! I hope Chi-Chi's having better luck with Goku."

* * *

"O-kay, mom! I'm ready!" Goten announced, revealing his newly sown attire.

Chi-Chi immediately stopped what she was doing, leaving her dumplings unattended.

"Oh Goten, you look so cute!" she exclaimed, "But wait… you have little smudge, sweetie."

Chi-Chi promptly pulled out a napkin from her pocket and began roughly wiping her son's cheeks.

"Hold still, Goten. Otherwise, it won't come off."

"Aw, mom…" he frowned.

"There, now go get your brother."

" 'kay!" he shouted, running toward his brother's room.

Chi-Chi rose from her knee as thoughts of her husband's whereabouts popped into her head. She knew he'd taken a bath, so she thought to check in their backyard, only to find their rusty bath barrel lying on its side in the grass. She looked around, searching for his presence.

"Gooookuu! Gooookuu! GOKU!" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth.

Her husband had always done this, especially before they were about to leave to a gathering. And she hated it.

"Ooh, that man! Where could he have gone?" she thought.

That is, until she smelled the burnt aroma of her dumplings coming from the kitchen. She gasped, making her way into the kitchen as light smoke filled the stove-top.

Meanwhile, Goten stared curiously out of his brother's window as a lone grasshopper stood upon the glass in front of him. Following his brother's orders, he kept himself occupied while Gohan rummaged through his wardrobe.

"You're a small little guy, aren't ya?" he chuckled.

"Goten, have you seen my—Huh? What's this?" Gohan muttered, discovering a slip of paper that had fallen out of one of his dirty pant pockets.

Without hesitation, he unfolded it and took a quick glance at its familiarity. Skimming through, Gohan's cheeks began to brighten dangerously red as it had been a note from class, written by none other than his close crime partner—Videl.

"I can't believe I still have this."

"Have what?" Goten exclaimed, hopping on his brother's back.

In a flash of reflex, Gohan crumpled the note and slid it into his pocket.

"Uh, nothing, Goten! Just finished! Y-You ready to go, squirt?"

"But what was that paper you just had in your hand?"

"Uh, paper? What are you talking about, Goten? I didn't have any paper," he chuckled.

"Yes, you did. You just put in your pocket."

"E-Eh, no, I think you're seeing things."

"Don't lie to me, Gohan! I saw it! And I'm gonna tell mom if you don't show me what it is!"

"No! D-Don't tell mom! It's, uh… a secret."

"Huh? A secret?"

"Yeah, and, uh… mom can't find out."

"What is it? Did you do something bad?" he asked, hopping down to the floor.

"Uh, yeah. You see, I got a bad test grade and I _can't_ let mom find out."

"Oh, how bad?"

"Bad. She can't find out about it, okay?"

"Well… okay."

"Thanks Goten. Now let's get going. I'm sure mom and dad are waiting."

Goten nodded as he scurried toward the door.

"Race ya!" he chuckled.

Gohan smiled, exhaling a much needed release as his brother exited the room.

"A bad test grade… Nice one, Gohan. Real smooth. Grr! How could I be so stupid?!" he thought, pounding his forehead repeatedly as he made his way out.

Outside, Goku and Chi-Chi stood eye to eye as they underwent another marital debate.

"But Chi-Chi!" Goku whined.

"No! Absolutely not and that's final!"

"But if I use instant transmission it'll be a lot faster. It'll only take a few seconds."

"No, Goku! Can't we just _try_ to do things like a normal family for once?"

"Aw… alright," he sighed.

"Good. Now then. Gohan! Goten! C'mon, we're gonna be late!"

"Coming mom!" they both answered.

* * *

Bulma patiently waited for her prescription, flipping through a stack of out-dated magazines. It had already been half an hour since she got there and everyone was to be at a country park for the picnic in only fifteen minutes. She was going to be late.

"How long is it gonna take? It's only a hunger suppressant! I swear, good, organized workers are hard to find now a days," she thought.

While she waited, in the back of the pharmacy counter, a team of pharmacists looked through a wide assortment of medications. Only a single, newly-hired pharmacist had finally made it to her last order.

"Now let's see… Mrs. Briefs. Prescription 4656535-B. And I just saw that awhile ago, too," she murmured.

Meanwhile, a second pharmacist was returning from the back room with a prescription bottle in hand. The bottle was wide and had a milk-white color to it with a blood red label surrounding it. He was quickly making his way toward the front when a co-worker spotted him.

"Hey, what's up, Tony?" the new girl asked.

"Oh hiya, Kate," he exclaimed, "I'm just gettin' ready to send out this prescription. There was a recall about it, so they want me to send it back."

"Oh, I wonder why."

"Who knows? A lot people've been complainin' about stomach issues and what not. Go figure. Well, anyway, I'm kinda in a hurry and really have to get goin'. Later Kate."

"Oh, okay. Later Tony."

Regaining focus, Kate made her way into one of the many aisles to search for Bulma's prescription.

Back in the waiting lounge, five minutes had passed and Bulma decided to check on her prescription. She stepped up to the counter and addressed a nearby pharmacist.

"Hey, excuse me."

"Yes, ma'am?" Tony answered.

Without looking, he placed the bottle of recalled medication down on a nearby shelf as he nonchalantly made his way toward the front desk.

"Yes, I've been waiting for almost an hour now," Bulma calmly explained, "I just wanted to see if you might have my prescription yet?"

He grabbed his clipboard and pen, clicking down to check off his waiting list.

"Let's see… Name?"

"Bulma Briefs."

In the back, Kate continued to search, making her way toward the front.

"Now, I know I saw it around here somewhere. Hmm… I remember it had a red label… Maybe…"

She made her way to one of the front aisles, discovering an assortment of colored labels. It was only a few minutes before she spotted two similar prescription bottles with red labels sitting next to each other.

"Ahah! Two of them!"

She quickly grabbed one bottle to be sure of its appearance, only to find that the numbers didn't match up.

"Hmm… that's not it. What about…"

She took a glance at the second bottle, squinting her eyes to make out the numbers.

"Ah, that's it! Alright! This job isn't too hard after all."

She placed the deceiving bottle back on its shelf before suddenly being interrupted by her more experienced co-worker, Tony.

"Hey, Kate! You have Mrs. Briefs' prescription?"

"Yes, sir!" she answered.

Without looking she, yet again, grabbed the wrong medication.

"Oh, great!" Bulma sighed, "That's a relief."

"Here you go, Mrs. Briefs!" Kate addressed, handing Bulma the prescription bottle, "Would you like to charge this to your account?"

"Oh, that's fine. I'm kind of in a hurry."

"Okay, you're all set! Have a nice day!"

"Thanks, you too!"

In a flash, Bulma threw the bottle in her purse and stormed off, while Tony went back to his order, grabbing Bulma's medication from where it sat.

* * *

NOTE: Well, my first chapter to my very first fanfiction. How did I do? Constructive criticism is most appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Out in the middle of a grassy plain, over half of the Earth's greatest fighters were unpacking and preparing the area for their gathering. It wasn't long before one of them soon discovered a missing Bulma.

"Hey guys, have you seen Bulma? I thought she'd be here by now," Chi-Chi asked.

"Eh, she's probably on her way as we speak. You know how she and Vegeta get when it comes to these things," Krillin answered.

"True!" she chuckled. Taking the opportunity, she continued to unpack her heavy supply of food and began to set them down on a wooden park table set underneath a large oak tree. It was then that she noticed the table began to lean. Looking for the culprit, she spotted her husband who was sitting back against the edge of the table, holding his stomach tightly.

"Goku, what's wrong?"

"Aw, I don't think I've been this hungry in my life," he groaned.

"You saiyans," she sighed, rolling her eyes, "Be patient, I'm almost done setting up. Besides, we still need to wait for Bulma and the rest of—"

"Hey, guys!" a voice interjected.

Chi-Chi immediately turned her head to find Bulma standing arms akimbo as she made her introduction.

"There you are. Where've you been?"

"Sorry, I'll explain later."

"Hey, Bulma! It's been awhile since I've seen you!" Yamcha interrupted.

"Yamcha! What's goin' on?"

"Just been around. Y'know, same old, same old," he chuckled.

"Well c'mon, let's get this thing started!"

Without looking, Bulma threw a capsule over her shoulder to unveil a buffet table filled with a large assortment of food as far as the eye can see. The picnic had begun. Along with their friends and family, the last of the Z-fighters arrived as they received their chances to catch up with one another.

Upon arriving, Trunks spotted Goten playing with a baby dinosaur from afar.

"Hey, Goten!" he called, running in his best friend's direction.

"Trunks!" Goten waved.

Before speaking another word, Trunks analyzed him, noticing his newly made outfit. His dogi consisted of a light blue, long-sleeved shirt with a popped up collar and red seams, along with a pair of charcoal gray pants. He'd never seen Goten wear anything besides his usual orange pants and shirt—similar to what his dad wore—but this…

"Um, Goten?"

"Uh-huh?" he smiled innocently.

"What're you wearing?"

"Oh, my mom made this for me. Isn't it cool?"

"Uh…" he chuckled, placing his arm behind his head, "Hey, my dad showed me this new move that he used on Cell! Wanna check it out?"

"Really? Wow, that's so cool! Could ya teach me? Huh, Trunks?"

"Yeah, c'mon!" he gestured, leading them deeper into the field.

* * *

Goku began to roundup his first helping of food, gathering a bit of everything there was to offer. His plate was stacked high, almost reaching his chin. Once finished, he made his way to his picnic table, setting his plate down with what looked like an army of plates surrounding him. Meanwhile, Chi-Chi sat continuously searching the table.

"Oh shoot! I forgot my purse again. Honestly, I don't even know why I have that thing," she murmured, shifting her eyes towards her husband.

Goku inhaled the mixture of flavors, choosing his first pick—a slab of chashu pork. However, yet another interruption would prevent him.

"Goku," Chi-Chi called, "Can you please go get my purse? I left it at home again…"

Goku held the slab inches from his mouth, glaring at his wife. He sighed. Weakly dropping his slab onto the plate, he rose to his feet. With a subtle nod, he placed his fingers to his forehead. In mere seconds, his orange and blue silhouette vanished.

Chi-Chi smiled at her husband's departure. She had just begun her meal and now she was in the middle of a chat with Bulma, knowing that it's been months since they've seen each other.

"Bulma, aren't you gonna eat anything?" she asked, turning her attention back to her blue-haired friend.

"I'll eat in a little bit," she answered, " I just had a check-up with my dietitian this morning and he put me on a new diet regimen."

Chi-Chi analyzed her, making note of her figure.

"Diet? You look fine to me, Bulma."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, you look great for your age! I'm actually a little jealous to tell you the truth."

"Thanks, Chi-Chi. I just wish my scale said the same."

"Oh please, forget the stupid scale! Look, everyone's having a good time, so you should do the same."

"Well… I guess you're right. I'm just glad Vegeta hasn't noticed anything. But I'll still have to take these," she informed, revealing her prescription bottle.

"Huh?"

"These are just some hunger suppressants my doctor prescribed. I already paid for them, so I might as well give 'em a shot."

"What're you supposed to do? You can't take 'em on an empty stomach, can you?"

"You're supposed to take 'em thirty minutes before eating. But you have to let them dissolve in water first. That's why I have this here," she explained, pointing to a glass of muggy water in front of her, "I already threw a couple of pills in, so I should be good to go."

"If you say so…"

* * *

Bed sheets and pillows laid flat on the floor, while Goku continued to frantically search for his wife's purse. He shoved over a hanging row of clothes in their closet, darting his eyes all around. To no avail, he found no sign of her purse anywhere.

"Aw, that's where she always leaves it," he muttered, "Hmm… if I was a purse…"

He shifted his attention toward the door and ran downstairs to the dining room. There, he began to circle the table.

"Hmm… it's not here either," he sighed, "Man, if I don't find that thing soon, I'll never get to eat!"

At the thought of food, his eyes instantly caught sight of the fridge. It didn't take long before his saiyan appetite skyrocketed further than before. He grabbed his stomach, clutching it firmly.

"But I guess a little pre-meal snack wouldn't hurt!"

With that, he chuckled and happily sprinted over to his destination. He grabbed hold of the cool handle and swung it open. Along with his shoulders, his jaw quickly dropped as he began to hunch in disbelief.

"DAH! You've gotta be kidding me!"

On the shelves of the fridge sat only a single can of juice, a clove of garlic, and a half empty carton of milk. Goku's expression became dispirited. He wearily backed up to the nearest wall, steadily sliding down to the floor, while continuing to hold his abdomen.

"Maybe I should ask Baba," he thought.

Fortunately for him, a bright colored object soon caught the corner of his eye. It was a pale, light purple that sat flat against the side of the fridge.

"Ah, yeah!" he shouted, quickly crawling his way across the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gohan and Videl sat beneath an old oak tree as they nonchalantly gazed at the event from afar. Videl had been mesmerized at the sight of Vegeta's bottomless stomach. She'd already seen saiyans eat many times before, each feeling more refreshing than the last.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Gohan interrupted.

"Huh? It sure is," she smiled, "Which reminds me… since neither of us are busy now, you think we can resume my training?"

"Uh, training?"

"Yeah, you can't expect me to be a part of a crime-fighting duo if my partner knows more than me, you know," she smirked.

"C-C'mon, that's crazy! We're a perfect team! Think of all the criminals we took out," he nervously chuckled.

"Well, either way, I _still_ want you to train me."

Gohan sighed, "Okay, fine."

"Thank you, Gohan!" she exclaimed, giving him a firm hug.

Gohan blushed, smiling down at his crime partner. Little did he know, his mother happened to catch a glimpse of them, expelling light giggles with Bulma following her lead.

Videl soon released him, shifting her mind to combat as she smiled with a sly grin.

"Okay, so what do we do first?"

"First things first," Gohan stated, "let's find safer ground away from everybody."

Videl nodded, taking flight with Gohan leading her way.

As the two teens departed, Goku made his return and handed Chi-Chi her purse. He then began to dig into his banquet, flicking and clanking his chopsticks against several bowls. In a matter of minutes, he devoured five slabs of chashu pork, four bowls of ramen, three plates of pasta, five bowls of white rice, seven rice balls, a tray of dumplings, and six bowls of yakisoba.

"Mmm! This is great! Food always does the trick," he thought, smiling and chewing down on his noodles.

* * *

Deep in the forest, a certain area had received a brutal amount of damage as various trees remained vaporized, along with many animals fleeing the scene.

"Wow, Trunks, I've gotta hand it to you, your dad comes up with the coolest moves!"

"Yeah."

"Do you think I can beat my dad with this?"

"Hmm… if you can catch him. I dunno, your dad's pretty fast. Not only that, he can transform into a super saiyan three, so I think he'd be strong enough to block it."

"Yeah," he chuckled, "maybe if I catch him by surprise."

"Good luck with that."

Trunks soon gazed up at the sky, sensing Gohan's energy from above.

"Speaking of surprises," Trunks addressed, "Isn't that your brother, and Videl?"

Goten swung his head around, locking on to their energy signals.

"Yeah, it is! Hey, Gohan! Videl! Down here!" he waved.

But to no avail, neither of them heard. However, it wouldn't be long before Trunks caught a glimpse of a small object falling from Gohan's speeding silhouette. Floating down with the wind, a small paper ball made its way toward the two boys. Trunks scurried over to catch it, diving face-first into a tree. At the sound of the thud, Goten came to an abrupt stop, wincing at his friend's painful situation.

"Trunks! Are you okay?"

"Ow! Okay, I really need to start watching where I'm going!" he barked, rubbing his head.

Goten's eyes soon wandered, finding the ball of paper within Trunks' palm.

"Hey, that's Gohan's test!" Goten pointed.

Trunks then rubbed his head, clearing himself from the pain.

"Uh, test?"

"Yeah, he made me promise not to tell my mom about his bad grade or else he'd get in big trouble."

"Bad grade, huh?"

With that, Trunks quickly unraveled the paper and began to skim through it. In a matter of seconds, Trunks' eyes widened as he released a devilish, Vegeta-esque smirk. At first glance, Goten's jaw hung open, knowing exactly what this meant.

"Uh-oh," he murmured.

* * *

Only about a few hundred yards away, Gohan stood in traditional sparring form as his student observed closely. The sun shined upon both of them. The wind blew eastward, causing every blade of grass to wilt. Gohan's eyes glanced up as a coin-sized shadow appeared upon his face. With every second, it began to expand, covering his face down to his entire body. Videl continued to sit in anticipation, tightening her grip around her knee. In an instant, Gohan released one final breath and disappeared. Videl quickly glanced up at the falling boulder, paying close attention to every single jagged edge there was. Several blows were expelled as dust and rubble flew in every direction, reducing the boulder in size. Gohan continued to strike, disappearing and reappearing around his target. With one final maneuver, he threw a roundhouse kick toward the last heap of rock, launching it into the sky, taking the initiative at great speed, and reappeared to deliver a massive punch straight through.

He softly landed, exhaling lightly.

"See? I guarantee you'll be able to increase your speed with this exercise."

Videl's eyes remained wide. Her jaw and hands quivered.

"A-And how do you expect me to do _that_?" she asked.

"Well, it'll take some practice, but you'll get it. Trust me, with how stubborn you are, I know you will," he smiled.

Videl glared at him, dumbfounded by his assurance. She soon returned the gesture, nodding her head lightly.

"Alright, let's start you off with this small one," he instructed, lifting an adult-sized boulder above his head.

However, their training would be put to a stop as the sound of slow applause intervened. Gohan turned his head to find an unusually cocky Trunks leaning against a large tree, eyes closed with a complacent look on his face.

"Uh, hey, Trunks. Whatcha you doin' there?"

"Nothin'. Nothin' at all."

It was then that Goten nonchalantly popped his head from behind him.

"Uh, Trunks? Don't you think you should give Gohan back his—"

Trunks immediately slapped the back of his hand against his mouth, cutting him off completely. In a muffled tone, Goten sighed.

"Huh? Give me back my what?"

"Well… it depends. Do you enjoy living?"

"Trunks… what're you hiding?"

"Oh, just… this little number," he stated, playfully tossing up a crumpled piece of paper.

"What's that?" he thought, squinting his eyes forward.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure your mom doesn't find out about this _bad grade_."

Gohan's eyes immediately shot open. His teeth clenched, releasing a much anticipated yelp to his dismay. Videl confusedly blinked, catching every word.

"Gohan… what's he talking about?"

Gohan's body tensed up, expelling yet another light yelp from under his teeth. Without hesitation, he made his way to Videl, cupping his hands around her ears. Trunks stood coolly, arms crossed, arrogantly smirking at the two teens. He knew he had them both under his control. At the conclusion of Gohan's light whispers, Videl's face reddened. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"GAH! H-He has that? How?" she exclaimed.

"I dunno, but we can't worry about that right now. We have to figure out a way to get it from him. Let me handle it for now. Just wait here, okay?"

Videl nodded nervously.

Gohan calmly walked over to Trunks as he brainstormed a way to outwit him. His eyes remained fixed onto the crumpled paper within Trunks' hand as it was continuously tossed up in the air. He took each step carefully; making sure his footing was firm. The friction beneath his feet soon increased as he made his way to a small patch of dirt where the demolished boulder sat. Now was his chance. He kicked a foot off the ground and vanished. Branches and dirt flew in Trunks' direction just as the ball of paper was about to fall back in his hand. He gasped. Gohan stood behind him smirking as he turned around to reveal the note firmly within his grasp. Trunks glanced down, finding nothing but a torn leaf lying in the palm of his hand.

"Sorry, Trunks," Gohan smiled, "but I think you'll have to do better than that. Especially if you're trying to blackmail me."

"Yes! You go, Gohan!" Videl cheered.

Gohan made his way back to her direction, tossing the note into her hands. Goten stood behind Trunks, observing the situation. He glanced over to Trunks who had a questionable smirk upon his face. However, Trunks paid no attention as he began to make his move.

"Well then, I guess you don't know exactly how good I am, now, do you?" he boasted.

"Huh?"

"Uh… G-G-Gohan… Th-This isn't it!" Videl announced.

She flipped the paper over, revealing a blank, white sheet of wrinkles. Gohan's eyes widened as he swung his head around, catching a glimpse of an airborne Trunks above them.

"HA! You want it? Then you're gonna have to catch me for it! That is, unless you're willing to give in to _my_ orders."

Gohan growled, tightening his fists, "Trunks…"

Trunks crudely stuck his tongue out, flaunting the note above his head. In severe irritation, Gohan burst from the ground, causing a small crater to form from where he stood. As a response, Trunks quickly stuffed the note in his pocket and took off.

On the ground below, Goten stood next to Videl watching as his brother and friend made their way into the clouds.

"Videl, you know about Gohan's bad grade, too?" he asked.

"Huh? Bad grade? Goten, it's not a…"

It was then that Videl glanced down to catch Goten's innocent face staring back at her. His eyes glistened in the sunlight. His expression was soft, standing calmly and patiently as he stared at her in youthful curiosity.

"It's not a, uh… nice to mention it."

"Wow, it must be really serious then," he thought, "He could get in big trouble!"

"Uh, mom's not gonna like this…" he mumbled.

Videl chuckled, nervously rubbing her arm, "Yeah..."

* * *

_Swoosh!_ High above the forest, Gohan and Trunks burst through the clouds. Gohan's eyes remained locked onto his target as he began increasing speed with each passing second. However, Trunks would soon take notice, decreasing altitude as he dove into the trees below.

"Nice try! But I can still sense your energy!" Gohan informed.

Using his peripheral vision, Trunks gazed back at his stalking predator as he swiftly evaded every passing tree and critter. It was then, in a surge of energy, that Gohan made his way into the forest, effortlessly dodging every tree in his path. Trunks gulped at the sudden spike as he clenched his teeth tightly together.

"Uh-oh! What do I do?! What do I do?! What do I do?!"

He aimlessly searched his surroundings. Up ahead, he spotted a long, drooping tree branch kissing the dirt. The worry that beckoned him soon faded as he released a devious snicker. He quickly suppressed his energy, scooping up the hanging branch as he hopped onto a neighboring tree, awaiting his friend's arrival.

Gohan's face softened. His pace slowed. Trunks' energy signature was completely gone.

"Huh? He's gone. Darn it! He must be suppressing his energy!" he muttered.

_Crack! _

"What was—?"

In an instant, Trunks released his grip, causing the tension within the branch to release. Gohan's eyes widened. He gasped for air as saliva shot from his mouth. Trunks cautiously poked out his head, expelling a deep gasp of regret as both hands instinctively smacked firm against his mouth. Before his very eyes, he witnessed a pain no man should ever receive.

Gohan winced, pressing his legs tightly together as both hands remained tucked within them. In a matter of seconds, his body smacked dead against the dirt.

* * *

Back in the picnic area, Goku continued his hearty binge. It was already his third helping and he was far from done. Vegeta was no different. Everyone had been watching as the two saiyans vigorously gulped down each plate. Goku scooped an entire plate of noodles into his mouth, slurping them in completely. Vegeta violently impaled a piece of steak as he bit and pulled on it, ripping the ends with his teeth.

Despite their marriage, even Bulma and Chi-Chi couldn't help but stare.

"I think I'll hold off on eating a little bit longer…" Bulma muttered.

"Maybe we _should've_ let them eat breakfast," Chi-Chi responded.

Bulma just nodded. Ripples filled her glass of water as the table lightly shook from the growing pile of bowls.

* * *

"GOHAN! H-Hey, Gohan! Gohan! Are you alright? Gohan!"

Trunks kneeled, carefully inspecting his fallen friend. There, Gohan laid on his side. His eyes were closed shut, his body twitched lightly, and his breathing was now barely becoming stable.

"Gohan—"

Suddenly, in a swift turn, Gohan charged and swung his arm out forward. In a bout of reflex, Trunks leapt back, barely evading his grasp as he took flight.

"What?!" he grunted.

"That was a dirty trick you pulled, so I thought I'd pull a trick of my own. Now, hand over that note!"

"HA! In your dreams!"

With that, Trunks burst through the trees and out into the sky. Gohan quickly withdrew his energy, taking to the air in pursuit of his prey. Trunks took notice, increasing his speed once more.

"And just because you tricked me once," Trunks informed, "doesn't mean I'll fall for it again!"

"Yeah, well, I won't need to 'cause you're gonna hand it over!"

Trunks chuckled at the thought. He continued to fly forward, turning his entire body around.

"Oh yeah?!" he mocked, "Make me! NYAH!"

He stuck his tongue out wildly, pulling his lower eyelid farther open. Gohan growled, increasing his speed to his max. It wasn't long before both saiyans met ear-to-ear, zigzagging through the air. They soon met with a lone helicopter headed straight for them. The pilot gasped. He shut his eyes and tightened his grip as the two saiyans approached. They swiftly separated as Trunks flew over several sets of rotor blades, while Gohan made his way underneath the landing skids. Shaken by the events, the pilot nervously squinted to catch a glimpse of the clear, open sky ahead of him. He sighed, slouching back in his seat; completely breathless.

After several kilometers, Trunks approached the picnic area. He had finally managed to lose sight of his pursuer. Fortunately for him, their chase gained a bit of interference as Gohan was drowned by a flock of birds. He chuckled at the thought, knowing that he was home-free and finally had the upper hand. With Chi-Chi nearby, he gained only more control over him.

He made his way past the forested area, slowly entering the open plain where the picnic was held. His eyes sparkled with joy as he reached his destination.

"Yeah! Sorry Gohan, but victory is _mine_!"

However, his plan would soon come to an abrupt stop.

"Not so fast!" Gohan announced.

Clutched by his leg, Trunks' reflexes took over as he swept his leg around, attempting to catch his pursuer off guard. However, Gohan effortlessly dodged, leaning back from the incoming kick. Once his body was completely turned, Trunks saw an opportunity. He glared back at Gohan who was now slowly leaning back into position, as he prepared for his attack. With subtle form, Trunks lifted his knee high up to his chin, allowing the potential energy to build. He then began to sneer as he released a powerful kick that ultimately threw Gohan back several feet away, skidding through the grass. Trunks dashed forward, making his way toward the scattered picnic tables. Within seconds, he was accompanied by his older saiyan friend as they continued their game of cat and mouse, soaring over each table at great speeds.

Out in the forest, Videl and Goten appeared as they finally escaped the denseness of the surrounding trees. A look of shock overcame each of their faces, watching their friends continue to their pointless pursuits. Although many of the other Z-Fighters seemed unaffected, several plates and cups flew and spilled over. Making their way through the first table, Master Roshi, Puar, and Oolong all ducked in fear of losing their meals. Yamcha and Tien's eyes enlarged. They quickly jumped up, each coolly lifting their plates off each side of the table as the two saiyans made their way through. Chiaotzu soon returned with a plate of food having noticed the passing incident. He confusedly glanced up at Tien.

"What's wrong with them?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing," Tien responded, glancing up at the two saiyans.

Gohan grew more and more annoyed by the minute as they soon approached a large oak tree. Trunks lightly landed a foot on the bark, quickly kicking off before Gohan took a leap to grab him.

"You can't keep running away from me, you know!" Gohan growled.

"Says the one who can't catch me!" Trunks retorted.

Ironically, Trunks soon came to a halt as he was grappled into a full nelson. He struggled and yelled profusely, trying to break free.

"Hey! What's the— Goten?!"

Goten held a firm grip as they began turning and twisting in every direction.

"What's the… big idea?!" he grunted, "Let go!"

"No! If my mom finds out… he'll get in trouble!"

"Goten, let go!"

"Attaboy, Goten!" Gohan cheered, "Keep a hold on him!"

He straightened his body, allowing himself to pick up speed as he made his way for them. However, Chi-Chi was not amused. She had heard all the commotion in the direction of the large oak tree that sat from afar.

"GOHAN! GOTEN!" she scolded.

Bulma soon caught on, glancing back at what laid upon Chi-Chi's furious glare.

"TRUNKS!" she called.

The two mothers arose from their seats, stiffening their shoulders as they angrily ran to their sons.

From afar, Videl stood stiff and wide-eyed. Her legs began to feel weak, standing pigeon-toed, as they began to spread apart until both of her knees hit the dirt. Worry had crept up her spine watching the entire situation unfold.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" she thought.

Back at their picnic table, Goku and Vegeta continued to devour every last dish in sight. Hands and arms swung in every direction as plates were emptied and rearranged. Goku effortlessly lifted an entire platter of yakisoba, placing the rim at the entrance to his bottomless pit of a stomach. In no time, he scooped the entire platter of its contents and slurped it down instantaneously. He was a saiyan after all, and having been raised in the wild didn't help his table manners either. It was like second nature to him.

Without even looking, he reached for a nearby tray of pan-fried pork buns as he grabbed one in each hand. He stuffed them both in his mouth, smiling happily and indulging on the mixture of flavors overtaking him. He harshly downed them, almost whole. The bulge in his cheeks soon travelled its way down through his throat and dissipated into his torso, causing him to half-wince in discomfort. He balled his fist, using his thumb knuckle to lightly pound at his chest. Unfortunately, it had no effect. He alarmingly began searching for drinks, finding nothing but empty glasses scattered across the table. He then turned his attention toward Vegeta, hoping he would spare a drink or two.

"Hey Vegeta—" he started.

He gazed at the saiyan prince, soon realizing it would be pointless to ask, seeing how he was in deep concentration, ferociously chomping on a piece of breast meat. Goku's eyes enlarged as he began digging through the pile of empty glasses. Just then, through the corner of his eye, he discovered a single glass of water sitting behind a stack of napkins from where Bulma sat. He smiled, swiping it without thinking as he began gulping it down.

* * *

NOTE: I decided to upload the second chapter just for the heck of it. Next chapter will be up sometime in mid August. Also, don't be afraid to leave a comment and review. Thanks!

UPDATE: The next part of the story is taking longer than expected, so I promise to reveal it for sure this month. Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

Down under the large oak tree, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks all stood aligned as their mothers interrogated them. Gohan stood stiff, leaning back with his teeth clenched shut, while his brother stood next to him, head down, sighing in shame. Trunks, however, stood more calmly as he stood staring at his mother who was curiously glaring at the other two saiyans next to him.

"Now talk," Chi-Chi ordered, "C'mon! _Somebody_!"

Nobody spoke a word. The three boys all stood in their same positions, growing more and more uncomfortable by the seconds. In fact, it would be a whole thirty seconds before Chi-Chi lost her patience, eyeing her oldest son in a restrained rage.

"Gohan! _What_ happened?"

Gohan brainstormed. He had no idea what to say. He had to think of something quickly if he was to get out of this one.

"R-Right… It's, uh, kind of a funny story, actually," he chuckled, "You see, we were just…"

Chi-Chi eyed him suspiciously, narrowing her glare as she stiffened with growing anger.

"… just, uh… playing tag?"

"Humph… Then can you explain why Goten was manhandling Trunks from behind?"

Gohan stared at his mother blankly. He had faced many of the most fearsome forces in the universe, but none compared to this. He was at a loss for words.

"Well? I'm waiting!"

Gohan looked up at his mother as he began to feel goose bumps consume his entire torso. Bulma didn't look too pleased either. Despite her softer expression, the stares she was giving made him feel even worse. He then noticed a small, thin figure sprinting straight for them.

"Wait! Chi-Chi, wait!" Videl called.

However, nobody besides Gohan seemed to even notice her as they would soon gain a change of mood.

"They're just a bunch of cheaters!" Trunks intervened.

Chi-Chi and Bulma shifted their attention, eyeing him confusedly.

"Yeah," Trunks continued, "They're just sore 'cause they couldn't catch me!"

He glared at his fellow saiyans, hinting his plan.

"U-Uh, yeah…" Gohan stuttered, "We, uh… We got a little carried away… Sorry, Trunks. No hard feelings?"

"Y-Yeah. Sorry, Trunks," Goten mumbled.

"Eh, don't sweat it. Anyway, Gohan promised he'd get me and Goten ice cream after we finished, _right_ Gohan?"

Trunks glared at Gohan, grinning smugly with his arms crossed in glory.

"Uh, th-that's right! I almost forgot about that!" Gohan answered hesitantly.

Bulma and Chi-Chi smiled.

"That's so sweet!" Bulma interjected, "But, Gohan… we didn't bring any ice cream."

"Yeah, neither did we," Ch-Chi added.

"Th-That's okay! I can go get some! I'm sure I can find an ice cream vendor around here somewhere," he nervously chuckled, bringing his arm behind his head.

"Well, as long as you guys behave yourselves. Just don't give Goten too much sugar. You know how he gets," Chi-Chi informed, making her way back to the table.

"Thanks, Gohan. I owe ya one," Bulma added, following behind Chi-Chi.

"No problem!" he chuckled once more.

Upon their leave, he slouched forward, sighing heavily as his arms dangled in front of him. He slowly glanced up, finding Trunks still eyeing him deviously. He sighed once more, looking down to his feet before taking flight to retrieve his request.

* * *

Goku chomped on a sliver of pepper steak. The rhythmic clicking of chopsticks filled the table, while the two wives casually continued their chat. They both knew their husbands well enough to figure out that they were still far from satisfied. After all, their saiyan stomachs wouldn't allow it.

As the hour passed, many of the others had already finished their own meals and began to partake in their own activities. Krillen, Yamcha, and Tien all started their own sparring match, while Eighteen played with Marron. Meanwhile, Master Roshi, Oolong, Puar, Chiaotzu, and the Ox King began a game of cards as Turtle just observed.

"Oolong! Quit tryin' to peek!" Master Roshi barked.

"Oh, like you've never peeked at anything in your life," Oolong retorted.

"You be quiet! It's your move, Ox King."

However, the Ox King's eyes laid elsewhere. He'd been eyeing Goku and Vegeta for the past hour. Even he, the great Ox King, couldn't engorge that much. Roshi soon realized he wouldn't receive a response as he followed his pupil's eyes to the source of his distraction.

"Y'know, one of these days, those two are gonna seriously explode," Oolong interrupted.

"Hmm…" Master Roshi responded, "Those two are so strong in every way. I'm not in the least bit surprised. Goku devoured my entire fridge at the young age of twelve. And just like his strength, his appetite still continues to grow. Hmm… these saiyans are really something else."

After a moment of complete silence, Master Roshi turned his attention back to his hand. The rest of the gang soon followed while the Ox King finally made his move.

As the two saiyans finished their meals, Bulma and Chi-Chi began hauling away stacks of dishes to make room. After hearing several burps, Chi-Chi knew Goku would be finished at any moment. He had been going non-stop for the past hour, and now he was engorging a platter of roast beef. Chewing and gnawing at the last bit of hanging meat from the bone, he soon came to a sudden pause. His stomach began to grumble loudly. At that instant, Goku dropped the bone onto the platter. The ringing thud of the plate only alerted Vegeta as he flicked his eyes toward his long-time rival.

Goku rubbed his stomach, straightening his posture to make room for his bulging gut. He blandly groaned as he hung his head over the table. Vegeta could only stare at such a sight.

"W-Whoa… man… I feel like I just swallowed a balloon," Goku groaned.

He rubbed his stomach, gliding across his entire abdomen, while a certain saiyan prince kept his eyes fixed on him. He snickered while he finished the last of his plate. He then shifted his attention to find the two wives making their way to the table.

"Finally! For a second, we thought you guys would never finish," Bulma exclaimed, "Now get a move on! This isn't gonna clean itself, you know."

Vegeta grunted, quickly rising from the table. With a quick glance back, he continued to head toward a shady patch of grass under a tree. However, it was on his way that he heard Chi-Chi question her unusually groaning husband.

"Goku… What's wrong?"

He groaned, rubbing his stomach lightly, "Ooooh… I guess I ate too much."

He arose to his feet and gave a weak smile. Chi-Chi could only sigh.

"Well, you swallow everything down. It's amazing your stomach hasn't popped."

He widened his smile, releasing a chuckle through his teeth as he swung one arm to the back of his head in his usual fashion.

"Alright, come on. You can't stay here all day."

"Huh? How come?"

She moved aside, stretching out one arm to reveal a bone-covered table of leftover scraps. Several stacks of plates and bowls stood high throughout the tabletop, dried noodles stuck to the edges, and a slew of crumbs were laid out in almost every inch of the area. A slight pain began to form in the pit of his stomach as Goku observed the aftermath of his lunch. His face froze into a bit of shock as he began to cringe. It wasn't long before Chi-Chi noticed. The sudden distress she always had for her husband began to take over.

"Goku, _what's_ wrong?"

"I dunno… I-It feels like my stomach's getting tighter."

He grabbed hold of his abdomen, quickly tumbling down to the grass. Unbeknown to them, a curious set of eyes took notice of the situation.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Krillin asked.

"Goku's… not feeling well," Chi-Chi admitted.

"Huh? Goku? You're kidding!"

He turned his attention toward the cringing figure before him. Goku's eyes remained shut. His shoulders were tensed as his stomach bulged firmly through his shirt. With a subtle turn, he slowly began to lean back.

"Ooh…" he groaned, "maybe if I lay down for a bit."

Before long, everyone gathered around him. He lowered himself, softly pressing his back against the grass. However, within a split second, he immediately shot up as he wrapped his arms around his abdomen.

"OOMPH! Nope! Not happening!"

Chi-Chi released a light gasp, disoriented from her husband's pain.

"Haha! Eat a little too much there, Goku?" Yamcha joked.

"Guys," Krillin announced, "this is serious. If Goku's out of commission then we're pretty much sitting ducks."

"Huh? What do ya mean?" Yamcha asked.

"He means that if somebody decided to attack us then we're just an open target waiting to get killed," Piccolo explained.

Yamcha's face stiffened, while everyone worriedly tilted their heads down. The air became still. As the conversation shifted to seriousness, Goku began to steadily rise.

"Guys," he groaned, "I'm fine. Really!"

He quickly grabbed hold of his side, falling to the dirt as his stomach began to rumble.

"Goku, please… just tell us what's wrong." Chi-Chi pleaded.

He stiffened, squeezing his eyelids tighter together while he continued to moan in agony.

"Oh, come on, Chi-Chi! It's obvious he has a stomach ache," Bulma interjected.

"But he's never had one before."

"Who knows? He may be a saiyan, but even they have their weaknesses. He _is_ aging after all."

Vegeta scoffed, annoyed by his wife's ignorance.

"That has nothing to do with anything."

Everyone's eyes shifted toward him, while he glared at his wife intensely.

"We saiyans are made for battle. Our bodies will remain durable until the day we die, inside and out."

"Then can _you _explain what's happening to Goku then, Mr. Saiyan?"

"Hey. Guys, c'mon," Goku mumbled, "this isn't such a big deal."

"Goku, you don't have to hide it. Besides, I'm sure there's something we can do," Bulma explained.

"Hey, wait! I just thought of something!" Krillin announced, "What about Korin? I mean, he _is_ the one who made the senzu bean, right? I'm pretty sure he'd have something for us."

"Hey, yeah! He's got all sorts of crazy healing drinks! He's bound to have something for Goku!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"Then it's settled." Tien added.

"Alright, I'll go," Krillin announced, "It should be a quick run, so I won't be long."

The two fighters nodded. Krillin immediately turned to Bulma, making way for his plan.

"Hey, while I go to Korin's, you and the others should take Goku home where it'll be safer."

"Do you really think Korin will have something for Goku?" She asked.

"Well… it doesn't hurt to try. If not, we'll just have to figure out some other way before Goku's a goner."

She nodded, releasing a much needed sigh of frustration. All she had wanted was a day of peace without the usual crisis that always seemed to creep up on them, but it seemed impossible.

"Alright," Krillin continued, "see you guys in a bit!"

With a quick leap to the air, he took off to the sky on his mission.

* * *

I apologize for the length and delay, but I had to somehow work this around my schedule. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be up soon and, as always, literary criticism is most appreciated.

Also, don't forget to check out _Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods_ on Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 7th!


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